Weather & Anxiety - Calm During the Storm

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When you think of anxiety, you never hear about the attacks that happen during severe weather. It's normal for children to get scared, but as you get older, it becomes more taboo for an adult to be afraid of the weather.

But it is possible for someone who suffers from anxiety to have an attack during severe weather. Now that Texas will be entering our stormy season soon, I keep an extra eye on Twin just in case we do have severe weather. But over the past year or so, we have come up with ways to keep her calm on the stormiest of nights.

•  It's okay to keep an eye on weather reports. In a lot of cases, it's absolutely necessary! But do not become obsessed with keeping up with reports of areas where you do not live/work. Just because it happened there doesn't mean it will happen where you are. Stay vigilant, but not fixated on it.
• Keep yourself busy with a hobby - including reading or crafting. It keeps your mind busy and away from worrying constantly about the weather.
• Take this time to work on meditation. It will help calm your nerves, even if it's just a little bit.
• If there is going to be a storm that day that may be severe, it sometimes helps to prepare by gathering candles/flashlights, a weather radio, and blankets. It may keep your mind at ease. 
• Sometimes, we find that it's helpful to look out the window often to see what the weather is doing. Make sure that if you do watch the weather through the window a lot, that you are doing it safely and stay away from windows when the wind is really bad. 
• If you have children, try to stay as calm as you possible can. When kids see their parents anxious and nervous, it makes them more nervous. This is also a great opportunity to teach your children about the weather, and how everything happens. 

We always hear about children having anxiety during thunderstorms, but seldom do we hear about adults shaving what I call "weather anxiety". If you or know someone who suffers from "weather anxiety", hopefully these tips will help you stay calm during bad weather.